At the age of 24, Andrew O’Shaughnessy was delivered some life-changing news.
The hurt and the deliberation over a disappointing summer of 2009 with Limerick was quickly put on the back-burner as the Kilmallock man was found to have early signs of Multiple Sclerosis.
Two frightening words, the news initially caused shock and concern within but the power and the courage he responded with and continues to respond with each day is what defines him, rather than the disease itself.
Andrew’s wife Eimear puts it best.
“I hope Andrew is remembered as Andrew O’Shaughnessy the hurler, rather than Andrew who got MS.”
And there’s plenty to remember.
Andrew Shaughs O’Shaughnessy first came into the reckoning in Limerick around the turn of the millenium and in the nine years that would follow, he lit up hurling fields from Limerick to Dublin.
He will be fondly remembered by the ‘boy wonder’ headlines that accompanied his rise to prominence and his consistent justification of that lofty billing.
It was his sharpshooting – Shaughs will go down as one of the cleanest strikers of a sliotar in the history of hurling. From the age of 16, he began striking knockout blows and his progress in St Colman’s Fermoy – where he won three Harty and three Croke Cups, and with the Kilmallock minors sent him on his way.
Andrew O’Shaughnessy’s story an inspiration to every single soul in the country
The Laochra Gael programme brilliantly remembers a county minor final against Na Piarsaigh when that man hit 4-9 of Kilmallock’s 4-12 total in a one point win.
That’s the type of talent you’re dealing with.
And he took that through with him into a glittering under-21 career, where he won two All-Irelands with Limerick in 2001 and 2002. Always the go-too forward, always the scorer to step up to the plate, the type of talent who’d inspire youngsters to pick up a hurl in the first place.
With the Limerick seniors he didn’t enjoy the same levels of success as the golden generation of youngsters didn’t slot in seamlessly with the older stalwarts. Saying that though, he played a huge part in their magical 2007 season that brought them all the way to an All-Ireland final.
It was in 2009 when he received the MS news but he’s far from bogged down by it. He went onto achieve a lifelong dream by winning a county senior title with his club Kilmallock the following year.
Now, he’s still in the hurling field every second night as a coach and his teammates talk up his suitability to that role, and indeed to the role of manager in the future.
He continues to take on MS with a positive mindset every day and his ‘take it as it comes’ attitude is a simple one that every one of us can take inspiration from.
“If you’re worrying about the future, you might miss the bus that’s driving down the road and it will hit you. There’s no point in worrying about that,” he says.
And he has high hopes for the future.
“How it hasn’t escalated as normal from my diagnosis, that bodes well for the future hopefully.”
“It’s not as dark as it seems, there’s always light, as hard as it seems, you always have to stay positive.”
Gaels all over the country were inspired by his story watching the brilliant TG4 documentary.
Andrew O’Shaughnessy an incredible hurler and what an absolute Gem, took everything that was thrown at him in his stride! 👏👏 #LaochraGael
— AussieGleeson (@AussieGleeson) March 20, 2019
Ashamed to say I’d forgotten just how good @andrewshaughs was absolutely class
an awful loss to hurling that his career was shortened #LaochraGael— Eddie Brennan (@NedzerB13) March 20, 2019
Great show tonight on @Laochra_Gael about @andrewshaughs. Warrior on the pitch. Legend and gentleman off it. Honour to have played against and with him….and the best man to do that fancy “S” on his sticks too as I always seen out at Jimmy Ryan’s!! #Shaughs
— Shane Mc (@Shaneytweet) March 20, 2019
https://twitter.com/mufcjr/status/1108489642876305410
Such a shame Andrew O'Shaughnessy had to retire so young from intercounty. He was such a wonderful talent from the first time he burst onto the scene at underage level. Great TV tonight on @SportTG4. Inspirational how he has dealt with his illness as well #LaochraGael
— Morgan O'Callaghan (@MorgantheBriar) March 20, 2019
Shaughs' confidence is very admirable. He showed great courage to go for a goal from a penalty against Waterford in the semi-final and showed nerves of steel to take that 65 in the last minute against Tipperary even when Brian Geary offered to take it 👏 👏. #LaochraGael #GAA
— Michael Cooke (@MikeCooke92) March 20, 2019
